Ale I Want for Christmas is a Clue

Book excerpt: Amateur sleuth and brewer Sloan Krause returns in Ale I Want for Christmas is a Clue, a new cozy mystery novella from author Ellie Alexander. Includes recipes! 'Tis the season for frothy winter ales and the annual Bavarian holiday market in the charming alpine village of Leavenworth, Washington. Brewing partners Sloan Krause and Garrett Strong are debuting their latest collaboration, “Merry Brew Year,” a hoppy ale brewed with caramel, toffee, and cinnamon for the opening night of Christkindlmarkt. It’s a festival atmosphere in Front Street Park as the snow begins to fall and the children’s lantern parade illuminates the street. But not all is merry and bright when a twisted turn of events leaves a local vendor as dead as last year's Tannenbaum. Now Sloan Krause must tap into the mystery and pour over the clues. Can she barrel through the lies and uncask the truth, or will the holiday season end in a bitter finish? With their new beer on the line and a killer who's not afraid to malt the competition, Sloan must unravel the mystery before the final toast is made. Will it be a "hoppy" holiday, or will the murderer's cold-hearted draft leave everyone's spirits flat?